Apparatus for holding articles

ABSTRACT

A FLEXIBLE BAG HAVING A PLURALITY OF SIDE POCKETS FOR HOLDING ICE CUBES ADJACENT THE SIDES OF A CONTAINER FOR COOLING THE CONTENTS STORED IN THE CONTAINER. THE BAG HAS AN OUTER COVER SURROUNDING AN INNER LINER. THE LINER IS ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF THE COVER TO FORM LONGITUDINAL POCKETS ACCOMMODATING THE ICE. THE BOTTOM OF THE LINER HAS A PLURALITY OF HOLES FOR DRAINING WATER TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COVER. A CLOSURE CORD IS USED TO CLOSE THE TOP OF THE BAG ABOUT THE CONTAINER.

@(Zt- 26, 1971 MCCALLUN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING ARTICLES 2 Shoots-Shoot 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1969 J BWW ATTORNEYS G. L. M CALLUN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING ARTICLES Oct. 26, 1971 Filed Aug. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'I'OR. GERALD LEE MCCALLUM MMMW ATTORNEYS 3,614,875 APPARATUS FOR HOLDING ARTICLES Gerald Lee McCallun, 1720 W. 76th, Richfield, Minn. 55423 Filed Aug. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 850,866 Int. Cl. F25d 3/ 08 US. Cl. 62-372 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible bag having a plurality of side pockets for holding ice cubes adjacent the sides of a container for cooling the contents stored in the container. The bag has an outer cover surrounding an inner liner. The liner is attached to the inside of the cover to form longitudinal pockets accommodating the ice. The bottom of the liner has a plurality of holes for draining water to the bottom of the cover. A closure cord is used to close the top of the bag about the container.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Beverage containers, as ponies, quarter barrels, tappers and the like, are conventionally cooled in large containers, as wash tubs, garbage cans, bairels and the like, storing ice and water around the container. These cooling containers are awkward to transport, as they are not collapsible and are relatively expensive to use for temporary cooling. In order to prevent the rapid melting of the ice and retain the cold air around the top of the beverage container, it is necessary to cover the container with a blanket, newspaper, or other material. All of the cooling apparatus must be transported to a location, as a picnic ground, where the beverage is to be dispensed. Furthermore, after the beverage is consumed, it is necessary to transport the bulky cooling container and covering back to a storage location.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention relates to a low cost collapsible and disposable apparatus for holding articles adjacent the member, as a dispensing container. The apparatus comprises an outer cover having an open end of a size to surround the container. Located within the cover is an inner liner forming at least one pocket with the cover for holding articles, as ice cubes or other cooling agents, adjacent the sides of the dispensing container. The liner permits the water from the melting ice to flow to the bottom of the cover and retains the ice evenly around the dispensing container. A closure means cooperates with the mouth of the cover to enclose the dispensing container within the cover, with the inner liner in engagement with the dispensing container.

An object of the invention is to provide a low cost disposable bag for holding ice adjacent a dispensing container. A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable, portable, small bag which is used to evenly distribute a cooling agent around a dispenser, as a pony of beer. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for holding articles which is formed from a onepiece member that is easy to manufacture and reliable in use.

IN THE DRAWINGS 'FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a dispensing container located within the apparatus of the invention shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the apparatus of the invention with parts broken away to illustrate the interior of the apparatus;

States Patent FIG. 4 is a top view of the opened upper end of the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material used to make the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the first folding of the blank of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the second and final folding of the blank to form the apparatus of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 the apparatus of the invention, indicated generally at 10, shown as a flexible and disposable bag positioned about a dispensing container 11, as a pony or quarter barrel of beer. The container 11 can be any article or container that can be enclosed in the apparatus of the invention. For example, the container 11 can be a box for storing food products, as milk, eggs, meat and the like. Attached to the top of the container 11 is a conventional tapping spigot 12 having an air pump 13 used to dispense quantities of beverage stored in the container. The apparatus 10 of the invention is used to evenly store quantities of ice 14 around the container so that the beverage will remain cool as long as the ice remains in the bag. The ice 14 may be replaced with other cooling agents, as pre-frozen liquid containers, frozen gel, dry ice and the like.

The apparatus 10 has a cylindrical outer cover 16 surrounding a cylindrical inner liner 17. The liner 17 is longitudinally attached to the inside of the cover 16 along longitudinal lines or seams 18, 19, 20, and 21 thereby forming longitudinal pockets 22, 23, 24, and 25 circumferentially around the liner 17. The top end of each pocket is open. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer cover 16 has a larger circumference than the inner liner 17 to provide substantial cross sectional areas for the pockets. Each side of the liner 17 is of a length equal to a cord extended between adjacent attaching seams. The relative lengths of the cover and liner may vary to change the sizes of the pockets.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the inner liner 17 has a circumferential lower end seam 26 spaced from the bottom of the cover 16. The bottom of the liner 17 is secured to the inside of the cover 16 and has a plurality of openings or holes 27 which permit the drainage of water from the pockets 22, 23, 24 and 25 into the bottom chamber 28 of the cover 16. Seam 26 may be spaced from 4 to 10 or more inches above the bottom of the cover.

The top end 29 of the bag has an open mouth of a size which permits the bag to be slipped over the container 11. A closure means 31, as a drawstring or cord, is used to close the open end 29 about the tapping spigot 12. This limits the movement of air from the inside of the bag and thereby traps and insulates cold air inside the bag around the container 11. The closure means 31, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is attached to an upper portion of the cover. This places the closure means 31 in a convenient position so that it can be wrapped around the tapping spigot. The closure means 31 may be a separate member or clamp which serves to close the top of the bag. The top edge of the cover and liner can be reinforced with a seam, bead, or hem.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, there is shown the structure and method of forming the entire apparatus 10 from a single flat piece of sheet material. The outline of the blank 33 is shown in FIG. 5. The cover portion '16 has a rectangular shape and is joined at a fold line 34 to the inner lining portion 17. The liner portion 117 is shorter in width and length than the cover portion 16 and is divided into four equally upright spaced sections A, B, C, and D, indicated by upright lines 36, 37, and 38. The cover portion is also divided into four equally spaced upright sections E, F, G, and H, with lines 36A, 37A, and 38A. The width of each section, B to H, is greater than the width of each section, A to D. The differences in the widths between these sections determine the size of the pockets.

The blank 33 can be a single sheet of flexible plastic, as polyethylene, Mylar and the like, canvas, rubberized cloth, rubber treated paper, and burlap. In addition, the material can be coated with a paint, plastic or rubber, to reflect heat and light. The blank 33 is illustrated as a single piece of heat sealable plastic. After the blank of the size and shape of FIG. is formed, the inner liner 17 is folded along the fold line 34 to the position as shown in FIG. 6-. The opposite ends of the blank are aligned. The pockets are formed by heat sealing the material along the linear attachment seams 18, 19, and 21, and along the bottom seam 26 to form the pockets 22, 23, 24, and 25. The blank 33 is illustrated as forming four separate pockets. Additional pockets can be formed by heat sealing additional upright portions of the liner to the cover.

As shown in FIG. 7, the bag is completed by folding the pocketed member, shown in FIG. 6, along the heat seal line 18. The folded longitudinal edges are aligned and heat sealed to form the seam 20. The bottom portion of the bag is closed with the heat seal seam 32. The closure means 31 can be grommeted to the top of the bag or heat sealed right in the seam 20.

The process of making the container .10 from a single blank 33 has been illustrated with a sheet of plastic. The bag can be made from a single sheet of cloth, or similar material. After the blank is cut, it can be folded in a similar manner and stitched with a sewing machine or stapled together to form the completed bag. Alternatively, the bag can be formed by the use of adhesive material which bonds the portions of the bag together to form the pockets between the liner and the cover.

An alternative method of making the bag 10 from a single blank of sheet material comprises the steps of form ing the blank in a configuration as shown in FIG. 5. The inner liner 17 is rolled and attached to the inside of the cover along fold line 34. In a similar manner, the outer cover 16 is rolled or turned over the rolled inner liner 1'7 and attached to the outside of the fold line 34. A plurality of longitudinal seams are then used to secure the inner liner to the outer cover to form the pockets. The inner liner, being smaller in diameter than the outer cover, provides the pockets with a sufficient size to accommodate a plurality of ice cubes, or similar cooling members. The bag is completed by closing the end 32.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment and method of making the apparatus and the preferred utilization of the apparatus to cool a dispensing container, it is understood that modifications, changes and alterations in the apparatus and method can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the apparatus can be utilized to locate any type of articles adjacent a container or member for the purpose of cooling and/or storing the articles adjacent the member.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for holding ice adjacent a member to cool the member comprising: a water impervious outer cover having an open top end, a closed bottom end, and a continuous sidewall of a size to surround the member and an inner liner smaller than the outer cover located within and attached to the outer cover forming at least one side pocket between the liner and the cover for ice adjacent the member, said inner liner having an open top end and an open bottom, the lower edge of said inner liner being secured to the outer cover above the closed bottom end, the lower portion of said inner liner having at least one hole whereby water from the ice flows from the side pocket into the bottom of the cover.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the bottom portion of the liner is provided with a plurality of holes whereby liquid can flow from the liner into the bottom of the cover.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the inner liner is flexible sheet material extended around the member.

4. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the inner liner is secured to the cover with longitudinally spaced means to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets.

5. The apparatus of claim '1 wherein: the cover and inner liner are formed from a single piece of sheet material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the sheet material is a flexible plastic sheet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 including: means to close the open top end of the cover and the top end of the liner.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including: cord means attached to an upper portion of the cover adapted to close the open end of the cover.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the cover and inner liner are a single sheet member having a first section longitudinally folded over a second section, the lower end of the first section being secured to the second section and upright adjacent portions of the first section and second section being secured together to form at least one pocket between the first section and the second section, said folded first and second sections being longitudinally folded and secured along the peripheral edges to form the outer cover and inner liner.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: a plurality of spaced upright adjacent portions are secured together to form a plurality of pockets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,383 5/1938 Cornelius 62--394 2,979,227 4/ 1961 Norton 62457 3,006,165 10/1961 Mittelberger 62457 3,282,068 11/1966 Cain 62457 3,443,397 5/1969 Donovan 62400 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

P0405) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,614,875 Dated October 26, 1971 Inventor(s) Gerald Lee McCa llum It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, lines 3 and 4, inventor's correct name and address is Gerald Lee McCallum, 3619 North Shore Drive, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391.

Column 4, line 21, "5" should be --3-.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

